Penalties, penalties, more penalties continue to irk Pete Carroll

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Brandon Browner was called for pass interference on this play, but it was declined because Anthony Armstrong caught the pass for a touchdown. (AP Photo)

There isn’t much left for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll to do but to start pulling players out of the game who commit too many avoidable penalties.

Carroll’s frustration with his team’s penalty woes was at a season-high after Sunday’s 23-17 loss to the Redskins. Seattle committed nine penalties in the game — right around their season average — for 91 yards, and once more, many of them were of the rather unintelligent variety.

Carroll said he’ll continue to search for ways to solve the problem — the Seahawks committed 13 penalties in each of their previous two games before Sunday — and sounded as if he’s ready to start benching repeat offenders.

“The things that we have chosen to do to make the points haven’t hit home,” Carroll said. “I told them the same thing in the locker room. I’m not getting it done with them. The point has to come to the position where we make the right choices, you know? I haven’t seen anything like this. We’re going to figure it out. I told them, if they’re all doing it, it’s something I’ve got to figure out as a staff and all. I know our staff will take the exact same accountability for it as well. And sometimes you have to put other guys in the game. You just have to do it. The same guys keep making mistakes, you’ve got to put other guys in. We’ll take a look at that.”

Carroll didn’t single anyone out, though he did use Breno Giacomini as an example of a young player simply committing penalties because he’s trying too hard. Giacomini was flagged for an illegal chop block, as well as a false start. And he committed an unnecessary roughness penalty on a third-and-long play that was declined.

“The couple penalties he had trying too hard in the situation, easy situation, play’s over, and he’s trying to make a good play and trying to make a statement about being tough — not now,” Carroll said. “Those are aggressive penalties. He’s trying to do the right thing but he hasn’t discerned yet when not to. That’s kind of a common theme for us.”

Yes, it is. The Seahawks have now committed 105 penalties this season, fewer than only the Oakland Raiders.

After a solid game last week, Brandon Browner was again flagged multiple times for being too physical in pass coverage — though the pass-interference penalty he drew on Anthony Armstong’s 50-yard touchdown catch was declined. Browner was also called for unnecessary roughness, and for defensive holding on a third down during Washington’s first scoring drive.

Golden Tate also drew a silly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when he flopped to the ground during a touchdown celebration in the fourth quarter. K.J. Wright was flagged for hitting Rex Grossman too high. The Seahawks had an ineligible man down field on a crucial possession late in the fourth quarter.

It’s hard to say who Carroll has in mind — if anyone — when he talks about potential personnel changes. But it certainly appears to be a possibility.

“That’s all you can do sometimes,” Carroll said. “That may be the case with somebody, I don’t know. Sometimes the bench really works for you.”

the couiple penalties he had trying too hard in the situation, easy situation, play’s over, and he’s trying to make a good play and trying to make a statement about being tough. Not now. Those are aggressive penalties. He’s trying to do the right thing but he hasn’t discerned yet when not to. That’s kind of a common theme for us